


The Stroke of Midnight

by thewriterofperfectdisasters



Series: Shameless Halloweenie [5]
Category: Shameless (US)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Boarding School, Halloween, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-10-26
Updated: 2014-10-26
Packaged: 2018-02-22 16:49:47
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,862
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2514827
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thewriterofperfectdisasters/pseuds/thewriterofperfectdisasters
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <em>tonight’s the dance?</em>
  <br/><em>how the fuck should i know? i ain’t no social fuckin butterfly</em>
  <br/><em>i think u would make a pretty butterfly :)</em>
  <br/><em>fuck off. what did u want</em>
  <br/><em>meet me at the admin block at 11 tonight</em>
</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Stroke of Midnight

**Author's Note:**

  * For [twelvemorestopsandhome](https://archiveofourown.org/users/twelvemorestopsandhome/gifts).



> so the other day me and [jojo](http://themoonoversoho.tumblr.com/) were talking about single sex schools and a few other things (*cough*) and basically i thought it would be a great idea to write a fic with ~breaking the rules and climbing into a clock tower~ so here we are.

Mickey had never liked Halloween.

When he had been younger – _really_ younger – it had been because of the stories his mom would tell him about all the scary things, like vampires, and werewolves, and ghosts, and witches. Normal scary things. Then, as his mother became more distant and more ethereal herself, the threat and scary things became real.

Mickey didn’t have a monster under his bed, he had a monster in his house. And he hid his sister from it every Halloween. The monster was active throughout the year, but it was made scarier by Halloween, and the creepy holiday became worse.

Ian’s Halloweens hadn’t been overly great, either.

Frank and Monica were always bumbling around the house, high or drunk off their heads, and when he was younger, Ian had thought it was monsters. He had almost gone down a few times to check on Fiona, because he knew she was still downstairs by herself, sewing her younger siblings costumes for school the next day.

She was brave, Ian thought, to be downstairs with the monsters. She was brave to risk her own life to face the monsters and look after her little brothers and sister. Fiona was like Superwoman. Ian thought she should’ve made herself a matching t-shirt for his Superman one.

It didn’t matter anymore, though, because now both Mickey and Ian were here. At a fucking boarding school in the middle of who the fuck knows where.

As Halloween approached, posters and flyers were put up advertising a mixed Halloween dance. Apparently the single sex girls’ boarding school a little while away would be carting over some of their older students to give them the chance to mingle with the hoards of sexually deprived teenage boys at _this_ school.

Most of the boys attending the dance had been prepping for weeks. Putting actual _effort_ into their costumes, and showering daily to get rid of the stench they had been cultivating for months. That didn’t exactly make it better, mind you. The smell of testosterone was everywhere, to the point of being smothering.

Ian and Mickey had been friends for a while, now. They sat together in algebra and biology, because Mickey was good with numbers, and Ian was good at all the genetics and dissection things. (Yeah, Mickey could cut something apart with the accuracy of a surgeon, but fuck if he knew what everything was.) It had gotten to the point where they studied together in the library, then in their dorm, and sat together for meals.

At the first sign of a Halloween dance, Mickey and Ian had frowned and muttered at the same time, ‘Fucking Halloween.’

Ian laughed and turned towards his friend. ‘You’re not keen on it either, huh?’

‘Yeah, absolutely fucking not,’ Mickey replied, still frowning at the offending poster in front of them. ‘Fucking stupid holiday.’

‘Not gonna go to the dance, then?’

‘Hell fucking no,’ Mickey scoffed. ‘Why? Are you?’

‘Nah, man. Guys only go to scout for girls,’ Ian sighed. ‘And we’ve already established that I am very not into girls.’

Mickey snickered, remembering the awkward conversation with Ian, where the redhead had spluttered out, rather ungracefully and loudly, _“I’m gay!”,_ after being assaulted with questions from a few other guys about how many girls he had slept with and/or (gasp!)  touched the boobs of.

Of course, despite their status as “pretty much best friends”, Ian didn’t know about Mickey. He suspected, but never brought it up, because Mickey would say it if he wanted, and Ian didn’t want to push him.

‘You wanna do something that night, then?’ Ian asked.

Mickey shrugged. ‘Text me when, where, and what.’

Ian grinned. ‘Will do.’

 

* * *

 

_yo mick_

_yo gallagher_

_tonight’s the dance?_

_how the fuck should i know? i ain’t no social fuckin butterfly_

_i think u would make a pretty butterfly :)_

_fuck off. what did u want_

_meet me at the admin block at 11 tonight_

_admin?_

_ye_

_uh kay?? need me to bring anything?_

_mm... nah should be fine_

_kay. see u later_

_yup yup!_

 

* * *

 

‘The fuck you got a backpack for, Gallagher?’ Mickey hissed, spotting Ian rounding the corner shrubbery.

Ian grinned as he got closer to Mickey. ‘You’ll see. Ready?’

‘What for?’

Ian pulled a set of keys from his pocket and dangled them in front of Mickey. ‘Would you like to do the honours?’

‘Huh?’

Ian tossed him the keys. ‘That long one. Open the doors.’

‘You what now?’ Mickey asked, his eyebrows shooting into his hairline. ‘I’m all for fucking the establishment and shit, but really?’

‘There are no cameras, and no teachers. I checked. We won’t get caught, okay?’

‘Yeah, sure,’ Mickey muttered, shoving the key in the lock, and twisting the handle quietly. ‘Hurry up then.’

Ian grinned and entered the quiet reception area of the admin block, right behind Mickey. ‘Okay, go to that door on the left, behind the desk area.’

Mickey frowned. ‘That leads to the clock tower.’

‘Yup.’

‘Alright,’ Mickey shrugged, going over to the door, and opening it for Ian. ‘Ladies first.’

‘Thank you, kind sir,’ Ian said, giving a small bow and climbing up the stairs for a couple of minutes. ‘You shut that door, right?’

‘Yeah,’ Mickey replied, right behind Ian in the darkness. ‘Keep going.’

‘We’re at the top,’ Ian said, pushing the trapdoor open, to poke his head through and climbing into the room of the clock tower.

‘This is a fuckin’ tinyass room,’ Mickey commented, following Ian into the space. ‘What are we doing?’

‘Halloween, minus the Halloween,’ Ian smiled, taking his backpack off and setting it on the ground. He pulled out a selection of things, including a blanket, a couple of camping lamps, and a bunch of snacks. He turned the lights on and spread the blanket out, before flopping down, and patting the space next to him. ‘Pop a squat, man.’

‘Jesus, Gallagher,’ Mickey said, impressed at the amount of stuff he had shoved into the bag. ‘Fuck, man. You got barbeque Pringles?’

‘You said they were your favourite.’

‘Didn’t expect you to remember.’

‘I remember everything you tell me,’ Ian admitted quietly. ‘You’re my best friend.’

‘Yeah, whatever, you’re mine, and I forget nearly everything you say,’ Mickey replied, ripping into the tube. ‘Though I suppose Pringles are important to remember.’

‘Knew you’d say that.’

‘Yup, mostly because it’s true.’

Ian laughed. ‘Yeah.’

Mickey ate a few more Pringles before he paused and looked over at Ian, who seemed to be lost in thought. ‘Why’re we here, man?’

‘Halloween is shit, but I didn’t want to be stuck in my dorm, and I know you didn’t either,’ Ian replied simply.

‘Ain’t that the truth. What else you got in that bag of tricks?’

‘A bit of contraband,’ Ian grinned and reached into the bag, before tossing a bottle at Mickey. ‘You’re welcome.’

‘Contraband, huh?’ Mickey murmured, rolling the bottle in his hands. ‘This is just coke, man.’

Ian winked at him as he took a gulp from his own bottle. ‘Is it?’

‘Isn’t it?’

‘Nope.’

Mickey raised an eyebrow and twisted open his bottle, taking a swig of the, now rather dubious, contents. ‘Oh, fuck, man.’

‘Like I said. You’re welcome.’

‘How much fuckin’ bourbon is in this?’

‘Good question. More than you’d probably need,’ Ian shrugged. ‘My brother likes putting in a shitload just to fuck with me.’  
‘You got brothers?’ Mickey asked. They never really talked about family. Home was something they missed, and didn’t want to share with each other.

‘Yeah, two sisters and three brothers,’ Ian paused and looked thoughtfully up at the ceiling. ‘Well, I suppose I have four brothers, actually.’

‘You suppose?’

‘Mhmm. Long story.’

‘Got it. I got a bunch of brothers and a sister. Probably more I don’t know about. My dad got around a lot,’ Mickey explained.

Ian nodded and they retreated into their own thoughts, looking up at the dark night sky through a crack in the roof, and snacking on Pringles and bourbon disguised as coke.

After a little while, Mickey started to feel the effects of the alcohol, and that was probably what made him speak so openly. ‘Hey, Gallagher?’

‘Mm?’

‘Thanks for this,’ Mickey mumbled, hitting Ian’s foot gently with his own. ‘This is kinda nice.’

Ian shrugged. ‘No problem.’

‘Seriously,’ Mickey said. ‘This is the best Halloween I’ve ever had. Not really saying much, but...’

‘I get it,’ Ian nodded, shifting himself so he was a few inches closer to Mickey. ‘Shitty parents.’

‘To say the least,’ Mickey agreed.

Ian smiled and moved a bit closer. He bit his lip and jerked one of his hands, before flexing the fingers, like it had just been a little muscle spasm. ‘Mickey?’ he asked softly.

‘Yeah?’ Mickey replied, turning to face Ian, suddenly acutely aware of how close he and Ian had become. He found he didn’t half mind.

‘I, ah,’ Ian looked down and frowned at something. His hand? His drink? A stray piece of fluff on the blanket?

‘What is it, Gallagher? Spit it the fuck out,’ Mickey said, sighing in exasperation.

‘Fuck it,’ Ian muttered, bringing his hand to Mickey’s face and pulling his forward, crashing their mouths together in a mess of teeth and tongues and newly split lips. He let go and moved backwards after a few seconds, after having felt Mickey freeze beneath him. ‘Oh shit,’ he breathed. ‘Shit, shit. I’m sorry. Misread the fuck outta that situation.’

Mickey blinked. ‘What?’

‘I – and you, well. Then I sorta, I mean. I figured...’ Ian said helplessly. ‘Fuck.’

‘You think I’m fuckin’ gay, gingerbread?’ Mickey asked, gesturing at himself.

‘I don’t... I don’t know. I thought you... No,’ Ian sighed. ‘I was wrong.’

‘No, you weren’t,’ Mickey replied, hauling Ian back towards him, and bringing their mouths together again – but slightly more gently this time.

‘Wait,’ Ian interrupted, pushing Mickey back a bit. ‘You’re gay?’

‘Congrats, your gaydar doesn’t suck ass.’

‘Maybe not,’ Ian grinned devilishly. ‘But I do.’

Mickey’s eyebrows shot into his hair. ‘We’re gonna do that.’

‘Maybe not right now. Everyone’s gonna be heading back to dorms soon.’

‘Fuck,’ Mickey muttered. ‘Better make the most of the time we’ve got then.’

‘Yup,’ Ian agreed, ducking to kiss along Mickey’s jaw as he ran a hand under Mickey’s shirt and lightly grazed his fingertips across his hipbone. ‘We should really do that.’

Mickey hummed in agreement, leaning into Ian’s touches.

‘Question.’

‘What.’

‘Are we dating now or something?’

‘Fuck, Ian. Don’t ruin the moment,’ Mickey groaned. ‘Can we deal with that some other time?’

‘I suppose.’

‘Good,’ Mickey sighed, running his fingers through Ian’s hair. ‘Carry on.’

‘Had no intention of stopping,’ Ian murmured against Mickey’s skin, moving his hand towards the zip on his jeans.

The clock struck midnight and the bells above them tolled loudly, the sound reverberating through Mickey and Ian's bodies. Mickey laughed and pushed his hips up to allow Ian to yank his pants down a bit, before he caught Ian’s mouth to kiss him again.

 

Yeah, Halloween had been pretty shit up until now, but this looked like it was gonna make up for that.

**Author's Note:**

> [come see me on tumblr~](http://im-not-his-keeper.tumblr.com/) i'm still taking _dialogue_ prompts for [need the other one to hold you](http://archiveofourown.org/works/2475722/chapters/5491784/) c:


End file.
